Complications
by SG1-Fanfic
Summary: Life’s complications are better than the alternatives. I hope that shippers and romantics like this one… S&J are -sort of- together at the end of the fic… but with lots of issues to be faced.
1. Discussions

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_A/N (Author's Notes): This story sprang out of a couple of ideas and scenes that were knocking about in my head and I struggled for a way to put them together. This is the result. I've also been trying to compose a Sam and Jack fic that ends with them in each others arms, but I can't seem to get that to come out onto the keyboard. Still working on that ending though…_

This fic exploded onto my keyboard fairly quickly; therefore, I apologize in advance for any major gaffes.

I plan to post this on Gateworld all as one file, so if you'd rather not read it in chapters, check out in a few days or so.

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**COMPLICATIONS** by

Category: Drama/General/Angst, Sam and Jack

Summary: Life's complications are better than the alternative. I hope that shippers and romantics like this one… S&J are -sort of- together at the end of the fic… but with lots of issues to be faced.

Rating: G

Season/spoiler: mid-season 8

Status: complete

Archive: Heliopolis, , and whoever who wants it.

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended.

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**COMPLICATIONS**

_The Asgard Council…  
…some informal conversation between deliberations_

"I believe it is time."

"Perhaps."

"He is not mated to anyone yet?"

"No."

"When I enquired if he was courting, he replied negatively."

"Doctor Jackson and the Jaffa Teal'c do not believe that he will move on any time soon."

"The two of them have not given up hope yet, either."

"But they are simply hoping for the return of their friend. He is hoping for more."

Silence.

"You are correct, he is not recovering."

"The acceptance is difficult as death can not be verified."

"The Tauri apply the term MIA – Missing in Action."

"And he holds out hope – even after so long."

"It has only been 10 Tauri months. That is not long."

"Not long for us, but it is a long time for them. Their life-spans are typically only 60-90 Tauri years."

"I have not given up hope. She may still return."

"Thor, you know that the chances of her survival are almost zero. You only hold out hope because you feel a bond of friendship with her."

"I cannot argue with that. I know how slim the chances are, you do not have to remind me."

"Thor, we must return to Troj's proposal. Do we tell him?"

"Yes, it is time. Then he can decide."

o0o _End Scene 1_ o0o

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	2. The Gift

.  
  
**PART 2: The Gift**  
  
.  
  
"Thor!" Jack moaned, "You have to stop beaming me up without warning."  
  
"You were not doing anything important, O'Neill," the impassive grey alien replied evenly.  
  
"I was fishing!" he replied indignantly.  
  
"You were not succeeding. I watched you for several hours. You acquired no fish," the alien replied again.  
  
"That's not the point!" he growled in frustration.  
  
"Then what is the point, O'Neill?"  
  
"First, you can't just beam me up without warning – it's rude, unsettling, and dangerous if the wrong people see. Second, it's not about the fish! Third…," and he glared at the alien's large unblinking eyes, "and third… you don't care what the point is, do you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Aaaggghhhh!" he ground out.  
  
Silence.  
  
"So, why did you beam me up, Thor old buddy?" and he resigned himself to the Asgard's latest galactic problem.  
  
A few moments of silence ticked away and the alien did not respond.  
  
"Tho-o-r-r?" he tried again.  
  
"Have you calmed down?"  
  
"Yes! Now what did you want?" he almost shouted in frustration.  
  
"You do not appear to have calmed down, O'Neill."  
  
"Thor, either tell me why you abducted me or send me back to my lake!"  
  
And the two stared at each other.  
One, detached and assessing.  
The other, emotional and trying to not explode.  
  
.  
  
"Follow me, O'Neill," Thor finally stated and then walked out of the room.  
  
"That's it? Just 'Follow Me'?" Jack questioned sarcastically and received no answer.  
  
Having no choice (other than stand there and sulk), Jack followed his alien 'friend', muttering loudly. A few minutes later, they arrived in a room that Jack recognized as the Asgard equivalent of an infirmary. Not that there was much equipment to give it away as such. Mostly the room was empty, as were most rooms and corridors on the alien ship. Jack never could figure out what they did with all the empty space. Dancing? And that conjured and image of Thor that he hadn't considered before.  
  
"You appear calmer now, O'Neill."   
  
"What gave it away?" he returned acerbically.  
  
"The smirk," came back implacably.  
  
Jack was taken aback, "I was -_not_- smirking," he objected.  
  
"Yes, you were. Doctor Jackson and Teal'c explained that look to me many years ago," Thor explained in his ever even tones.  
  
That silenced him for a moment. "Danny and T explained a smirk to you?"  
  
"They explained -_your_- smirk to me, O'Neill. They stated that it looks different on other humans and that most other humans do not use it as often."  
  
Jack's eyebrows rose, "They did huh?" was all he managed to send back.  
  
"Yes. I asked Colonel Carter for confirmation of their analysis, but she declined to comment."  
  
And that silenced him.   
It always did.  
He rarely spoke of her.  
  
Thor watched the changing emotions on O'Neill's face. He had been studying these humans for many years and he was becoming most adept at reading this one's facial expressions. And now the smirk was gone, replaced by a look of sadness, and then this too was removed. In the end, the Tauri's face was almost as impassive as the Asgard's. Almost.  
  
"Thor, why did you bring me here?" Jack dropped the small talk.  
  
"Do you want to have children again, O'Neill?"  
  
"WHAT?!!"  
  
"Do you want to have children again, O'Neill?"  
  
"What kind of question is that?" Jack spit out in amazement.  
  
"I am aware that you once had a child, however, that child died many years ago. Do you plan to have more children?" …with the same, innocent tones.  
  
"I don't know, Thor. Most likely not. There! Are you happy?"   
  
"I am neither happy nor sad, this is your choice O'Neill."  
  
"Aaaaccgghhh! Why do you want to know Thor?" he ground it out.  
  
Silence answered him and the two stared at each other.  
  
And then, the Asgard turned and walked over to a table on the other side of the room. Jack followed him over and Thor gestured to the ovoid pod on the table. With one more exasperated glance at the alien, he leaned over and looked through the transparent lid.  
  
It was a small infant. Probably only a few months old.  
A human baby. Not an Asgard baby.  
  
The baby was not moving, but Jack did not think that it was dead. It was a healthy pink color. Jack stepped back and looked at short alien next to him.  
  
"So… what…? Are you… offering me…?," and his voice trailed off.  
  
"Yes."  
  
And Jack's eyebrows rose again. "Is it a clone?"  
  
"No.  
  
"Then where did it come from? You didn't abduct it did you?" he asked.  
  
"The child was not abducted."  
  
Ohhhkkkaaayyy… and Jack let the possibilities run through his mind. "Is it human?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Completely? 100% -_Tauri_- human?" he persisted.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then WHAT is it doing here? Why isn't it with its parents?" he demanded.  
  
Silence answered him.  
  
"What? Are its parents dead? Are the Asgard running an adoption placement agency now?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Argghh! No to which? Are its parents dead?" Jack felt like screaming with frustration.  
  
"The father lives. The mother probably does not."  
  
More silence as the two stared at each other.  
  
"The why isn't the child with the father?"  
  
More silence.  
  
Jack leaned back over and looked at the child more closely. Two arms, two legs, all its fingers and toes. It looked like perfectly healthy.   
  
'The father lives. The mother probably does not.' The words echoed in his mind.  
  
"Thor, who does this child belong to?" he asked quietly.  
  
"The child belongs to you, if you wish to claim it O'Neill. If not, we will take care of it," the alien responded.  
  
"Me. The child belongs to me… So, what…? Are you making a gift of it? Or are you saying that this child is -_mine_-… right down to its DNA?"   
  
"The child is yours, O'Neill. She is of your DNA."  
  
"Why? Why would you do this?" his mind reeled.  
  
"The explanation is long and complicated, and it involves the agreement of the Asgard council."  
  
"The Asgard Council decided to create a child for me? You've got to be kidding!" and then it hit him. He had to ask, even though he was sure that he knew the answer. "Who was the mother?"  
  
"We used Colonel Carter's DNA," and there it was. Confirmed.  
  
He looked back over at the small infant.  
A small child… a blending of his… and -_hers_-…  
  
Slow minutes passed in silence as he thought it through.  
  
The Asgard continued to wait patiently.  
  
"You didn't ask me… before … you… Did you ask her? Did she know?" he asked quietly while not taking his eyes off of the baby.  
  
"No."  
  
And then Jack turned back to the alien, "Why do you guys do this? You do these things without asking. Beaming me up without asking is nothing compared to… compared to… to… creating a -_baby_-!"  
  
"We only wished to help, O'Neill. We wished to repay you and Samantha Carter for your help and assistance in the past."  
  
"Oh! Great! Well, that's all just fine and good --- but, Thor, you have to ask before doing things like this," and he paused to take a breath. "A baby… that is sooo such a thing that you have to ask about…," and his voice trailed off again.  
  
"If you do not want to take the child, the Asgard are prepared to raise the child."  
  
Jack just stared at him.  
  
"Why? Why did you do this?" Jack repeated.  
  
"As I stated earlier, we wished to repay you for your help and assistance in the past," the alien restated.  
  
"No. Why did you do -_this_-?" A baby. Why a baby? And…why me and Sam?" and he used her first name for the first time in almost a year and he looked at the floor and closed his eyes.  
  
"As I stated earlier, the answer is long and complicated. However, part of the choice was made because Colonel Carter asked us to conduct some physical exams for her. These exams and their results are confidential."  
  
Jack stopped for a moment to collect himself before continuing. He took a breath and pushed forward, "What difference does confidentiality make if she'd dead?"   
  
Thor blinked. A definite reaction from the generally impassive, gentle alien.  
  
"Colonel Carter asked us to conduct exams to determine if she was physically able to have children. She was concerned if there would be any effects or dangers from the naquadah and Go'a'uld protein marker in her blood."  
  
"What did you…'determine'?" Jack asked as he felt his stomach clench.  
  
"Unfortunately, our examinations were inconclusive. We were unable to give Colonel Carter any helpful information."  
  
More silence passed between them as Jack let his eyes travel over the sparsely furnished room.  
  
"So… you chose to…?" and he turned back to look at the infant.  
  
"Yes. We chose to create a child for her. We were confident that she would accept the child even if she were able to have her own children naturally."  
  
"So, why did you choose my DNA for the father? Carter dated a Pete Shanahan pretty seriously there for awhile. Carter may have accepted the child, but I don't think old Pete would have if I – or anyone else – was the father."  
  
"I can not answer that, O'Neill."  
  
Jack studied the Asgard again, trying to read something from the impassive face. And failing.  
  
"Carter didn't know… about the child?" he asked again.  
  
"No."  
  
"When were you planning… to tell Carter… or us?"  
  
"We were waiting for one of you to retire… or for the two of you to begin to pursue a personal relationship," the Asgard replied with those same innocent, non-revealing tones.  
  
"What if we didn't… pursue… a personal relationship?" he asked, beginning to feel detached as his mind struggled to deal with the concept of the Asgard creating a baby for him and Carter.  
  
All he got was silence for an answer.   
And an unblinking gaze from the large black alien eyes.  
  
Sighing he turned back to the child.  
  
"How come she's not breathing, or crying… or even moving? What have you got her in?" he tried another tack.  
  
"The child is currently in stasis."  
  
Jack nodded and let the silence fall again.  
  
"How long can you keep her in… here?" he asked.  
  
"For many decades, if you wish," came the measured reply.  
  
"Let her out," he stated quickly. His mind made up.  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes, Now!"  
  
"Do you not wish to spend some time thinking about this first?"  
  
"No! Just get her out of there – NOW!" and suddenly it was really bugging him that the child was being held under glass like a cafeteria choice. "Just get her out now – she can't stay like that!"  
  
"O'Neill, are you accepting this child?" The Asgard asked carefully.  
  
"Yes, yes, just get her out of there!" he was soooo beyond frustrated with Thor right now.  
  
"For clarification, O'Neill, I must ask: You are stating that you wish to raise this child?"  
  
And Jack stopped and took a few slow breaths to calm himself down. "Yes, Thor, I will raise the child."  
  
"Do you -_want_- to raise the child, O'Neill? This is Colonel Carter's child as well, and we feel a responsibility…"  
  
And Jack cut him off. "I -_want_- the child, OK, Thor! I -_want_- the child!" and he paused and closed his eyes.  
  
The Asgard nodded his head almost imperceptibly and then waved his hands over some controls on the end of the pod.   
  
The transparent cover dissolved and the child twitched and then sucked in a lungful of air.   
  
"Then you may take your daughter, O'Neill," Thor stated.  
  
"Daughter…?" Jack breathed as he watched her little legs and arms wave around as the child squirmed a little.  
  
And she looked up at him. With the most vivid blue eyes.  
  
Jack inhaled sharply at the sight and he swallowed as he felt his heart rise into his throat. He was going to be seeing -_her_- every time he looked at his daughter.  
  
"Can I pick her up?"  
  
"Of course, she is yours."  
  
Jack reached in and gently scooped her up, swaddling her in the blanket that she had been laying on. Cradling her tenderly, he just stared at her.  
  
"How old is she?"  
  
"She would be the equivalent of three Tauri months old, O'Neill."  
  
Jack just nodded and thought about what Charlie had needed when he was three months old. He would need to get a crib. And a car seat. And a pram. And… a whole lot of things.  
  
She would make a huge change in his daily lifestyle… and he'd have to change some of his work. Going offworld would have to become rare to non-existent. But he didn't mind. Not at all. He didn't need to be on the front lines any more. He didn't go out much anymore anyway. Not since becoming a General and accepting the CO position at the SGC. And, he especially didn't go offworld much after… after Carter had disappeared.  
  
He gently laid a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "It's just you and me kid," he said it softly and didn't even notice that Thor had silently left the room.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 2_ ====o0o====  
  
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	3. Family Life

.  
  
**PART 3: Family Life**  
  
.  
  
Four months had passed and Jack had settled into life with his new daughter. Daniel and Teal'c doted on her almost as much as Jack did.  
  
They didn't go out as SG-1 on regular missions anymore. Daniel went offworld on scientific missions with other teams as he chose. Teal'c freelanced with the other teams… and all of the teams worked hard to entice the Jaffa to accompany them on any and all of their missions. As a result, Teal'c also owned a position where he was allowed to choose which missions he went on and for what purposes. Occasionally, he accompanied Daniel on some of his shorter archeological excursions. Teal'c was also able to spend some of his time working with rebel Jaffa, his mentor Bra'tac and his son Ry'ac.  
  
Jack took a swig of his beer as he watched his two 6-foot-plus friends crawling around on his living room floor amusing his daughter.  
  
Daniel glanced up and stood up to join him, leaving Teal'c playing with her. Daniel saw the small sad smile on Jack's face as he watched his daughter. "She reminds me a lot of Sam," he ventured and waited apprehensively. Sam Carter had become a taboo topic around Jack O'Neill as the months had passed.  
  
But this time, Jack didn't react. The sad look on his face didn't change and Daniel knew that he'd pegged his friend's thoughts.  
  
"You know, I still can't quite believe that she isn't coming back. I keep expecting her to walk through that gate… with some explanation for what happened," and he paused and didn't take his eyes off of his giggling daughter.  
  
Daniel didn't reply, he just let Jack say what he needed to. They all still watched and waited and hoped every time there was an incoming wormhole. Their hopes certainly weren't as high as they'd been the first few months of her absence, but the hope was still there. And the disappointment. Every time it wasn't her.  
  
As the CO of the base, Jack went to the control room every time there was an incoming wormhole. Teal'c didn't have to be there but he always was. Silently watching until the travelers arrived and the wormhole shut down.  
  
Daniel couldn't do it any more. He just waited in his office. He still had hope, but it hurt too much each time the wormhole shut down. And she wasn't there.  
  
"I miss her, Daniel," Jack said it softly.  
  
Daniel nodded, "So do I, Jack."  
  
"I loved her," and Daniel couldn't quite believe his ears. Jack had just said… and he said it out loud! The archeologist was unprepared to reply and he stopped with his mouth open and no words coming.  
  
Jack gave him an amused look, "Surprised you?"  
  
"Actually no, O'Neill," came a deep voice from the floor and they both looked down to meet the Jaffa's level eyes.  
  
Jack made a small 'oh' with his mouth and then dazedly took another swallow of his beer.  
  
"She loved you too, Jack," Daniel offered.  
  
Jack kept his eyes on his daughter and the stuffed toy that she was sucking on.  
  
"She didn't think that you two would ever have a chance though," Daniel continued.  
  
"Neither did I," Jack replied wearily. They'd maintained the professional boundaries demanded of them. They'd dated other people. Tried to make lives with other people. He'd begun a new life with Laira on Edora. She'd tried with Pete. He'd dated other women. She'd dated other men. But neither of them had managed it very often. Work and all… Saving the world and all…  
  
"I just wish that I'd gotten a chance to just hold her. To have her here. I just wanted to… to take her fishing, for God's Sake!" he couldn't put it all into words. He wasn't that kind of guy. And, they all knew there were no fish in that lake.  
  
"I don't know what I'd do if she came through that gate. I don't think I could go back to… to the way it was," he admitted. As remarkable as that admission was coming from Jack O'Neill, they all knew that it was a fairly safe admission…because it was very unlikely that he would ever have to do anything about changing his relationship with her.  
  
"Well… I don't think you'd have to worry about things going back to the way they were… not with -_this_- one here," and Daniel tipped his head towards the child on the floor.  
  
"Guess that would be kind of an ice-breaker, huh?" Jack gave a faint smirk. "Hi, where've you been for the past fourteen months? Oh, and by the way, here's -_our_-child!" And the sad smirk grew a little.  
  
"Yeah, I think that would stump her," Daniel agreed. "But stunned or not, I still maintain that she'd be pissed at you when she found out what you named her daughter."  
  
"Yeah, I just wish she'd get the chance to tell me off about that," Jack sent back as he finished his beer.  
  
"O'Neill," Teal'c diverted their attention, "I believe that young Samantha needs to be changed. I will take care of it if you wish."  
  
"No, no, I'll take care of it. Why don't you two go and warm up some dinner for her. Believe it or not, she's taken a liking to that mashed vegetable horror that Teal'c concocted," he instructed. "And, Teal'c, how many times do I have to tell you, it's Sam or Sammy, she's too small for 'Samantha'."  
  
"I do not believe that her size has anything to do with what you call her. O'Neill, you always shorten everyone's names, regardless of their size or age," the Jaffa responded.  
  
"Yeah well, she's my daughter, and her name is Sam or Sammy," he insisted as he collected his daughter before heading down to the nursery to change her. And then he decided to try a new tack with the stubborn Jaffa. "Carter was always asking you to call her Sam… so how about if you do it for her?"  
  
And for the first time in seven months of this argument the stoic Jaffa paused, and Jack knew that he'd won. Teal'c solemnly nodded, "You are right, O'Neill. However, I do believe that she would object to 'Sammy'."  
  
"He's right, Jack. She'd hate that," Daniel piped up.  
  
"Yeah, you're both right," he conceded, "But then I'd just keep saying it anyway… just to…," and he let it trail off and he could see the understanding in their eyes. Jack would keep calling her Sammy… just like he would have if Carter were here. Because he would have enjoyed twisting her tail a bit. .  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 3_ ====o0o====  
  
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	4. Incoming Wormhole

.  
  
**PART 4: Incoming Wormhole  
**  
.  
  
The months passed and the three men grew more and more attached to the small blond bundle. Cassie made some crack about 'Three Men and a Baby', and then had been utterly disgusted when none of them understood the reference. Hence she'd declared movie night one Saturday evening and had insisted that they all watch the movie.  
  
Jack and Teal'c still came every time an incoming wormhole was established. Jack could hide it behind the responsibilities of his job. Teal'c did it… because he was Teal'c. Neither the Jaffa's face nor words expressed much emotion. But when the Jaffa was on base, he would always be present for incoming travelers. Whenever they arrived. Daniel often wondered if Teal'c would still be patiently standing in the gateroom when little Sam graduated from high school.  
  
How long would they continue to hope every time an incoming wormhole activated the gate?   
  
How many times could they watch?   
  
Times like earlier today.  
  
======================  
  
"Unscheduled Gate Activation, Unscheduled Gate Activation," came over the intercoms.  
  
The gate was spinning, the chevrons were locking.  
  
Jack quickly moved down to the control room overlooking the gateroom. Three teams were offworld and none of them were expected back for at least another 12 hours.  
  
"Close the iris," O'Neill directed.  
  
The seventh chevron locked and the wormhole established and the iris spiraled shut hiding the shimmering blue pool.  
  
And they waited.  
  
"Receiving GDO signal…," Sgt. Davis informed him.  
  
"It's from Edora, sir," the sergeant looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Open the iris," O'Neill nodded and the massive plates slid back out of the way.  
  
"Sending confirmation signal," Davis continued.  
  
The soldiers in the gateroom readied their guns.   
  
Teal'c stood silently in the doorway.  
  
And a woman and a small boy stepped out of the shimmering pool and down onto the metal ramp. The two stopped halfway down the ramp as the young boy clung to the woman's side.   
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 4_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	5. Finally Home

.  
  
**PART 5: Finally Home**  
  
.  
  
The woman looked up at the control room and met Jack's eyes.  
  
"Request permission to come home sir."  
  
Silence answered her and then Teal'c stepped forward and Jack watched the two of them embrace. Shaking himself out of his paralysis, Jack ran down the stairs to the gateroom.  
  
Stepping just inside the gateroom doors, he watched as she stepped back from her embrace with the Jaffa. Her left side facing Jack, he could just make out portions of the small boy clutching to her right side.  
  
She turned and saw Jack standing there.  
  
"Welcome Back, Carter," he wanted to say so many things… but he had to start somewhere.  
  
"Thank you, sir," she smiled at him as he walked over to join them.  
  
And then he grabbed her and hugged her… and he didn't care about protocol or military regulations. She'd been MIA for seventeen months. Surely he could give her a hug!  
  
He was holding her tight.   
With all of the emotion of the past year and a half.   
And she was returning the embrace.  
  
He opened his eyes, and over her shoulder, he saw Daniel standing there with a stunned look on his face. Someone must have called him… because Jack had forgotten.  
  
So he stepped back and let her go. Daniel stepped in and swept her up. "Sam!"  
  
"Hi," and her smile went from ear to ear.  
  
Jack couldn't take his eyes off of her. None of the three men could.  
  
"So, are you allright?" So many questions to ask and he didn't know where to start. She wasn't wearing BDUs and he didn't recognize the style of clothing. But then it had been almost a year and a half. The uniform that she'd left in would have been worn out long ago.  
  
"Just fine, sir," she smiled at him.  
  
"No she's not."  
  
And that came from… that small boy, who was now clutching her side again. Jack tried to get a good look at the boy, but he was trying to hide behind her.  
  
Jack glanced back at Carter to see that a look of apprehension had spread over her face. She was looking uncertain… and she looked Jack straight in the eyes and seemed to be searching for something.  
  
Then she took a breath and pulled back from the boy while moving down onto one knee to look him in the eyes. She gave the boy a small reassuring nod and then turned him to face Jack.   
  
No one said a word.  
  
Jack was paralyzed.  
  
It… it looked like… Charlie.  
  
His son Charlie.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 5_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	6. Shock

.  
  
**PART 6: Shock**  
  
.  
  
Jack stared at the boy.  
  
And still, no one said a word.  
  
Finally, Jack knew that he had to break this frozen tableau. "Carter…?"  
  
"It's not a trick, sir," she said softly.  
  
"No… uh… alien crystal entities?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Cloning?" he asked.  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Alternate reality quantum-mirror thingy?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Harlan… and his robots?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Ohhkkayy… then I'm out of ideas… what…?"  
  
"Dad, it's me, Charlie," and it was his voice. Charlie's voice.  
  
"But it can't…," Jack started to object.  
  
"It is Charlie, sir," she was still speaking softly.  
  
"No," and he looked at her with exasperation and he could feel his anger building.   
"Charlie… my Charlie died," and he felt sorry for saying that in front of this boy.  
  
But the boy didn't get upset. Instead, he spoke up and shocked everyone (except Carter), "Yes, I shot myself. I'm sorry, Dad. I shouldn't have been playing with your gun."  
  
And Jack reeled. Whatever was going on here… Jack was not prepared to deal with it.   
Carter was back. And so was Charlie???  
  
He looked at Carter again. Wondering if it was really her.  
And she looked back at him empathetically.  
  
"Sir, I recommend that Charlie and myself go to the infirmary… and then after that we can explain everything?" Carter suggested. She knew that he would need confirmation that she was who she appeared to be. And that there were no snakes hiding inside anyone.   
  
He couldn't fathom the boy. Nor how Carter could accept him so completely as Charlie. They would run DNA tests on him, but he couldn't be Charlie. Charlie was dead.  
  
So he just nodded his agreement, "Report to the infirmary… and then we'll talk…," and he met her eyes again and she smiled with relief.  
  
"Yes, sir," and she clasped the little boy's hand and led him out of the gateroom.   
  
================  
  
Carter was now sitting in one of the infirmary beds and was dressed in one of the ever-popular patient gowns. The boy, still in his original clothes, was sitting on the side of her bed.  
  
"So Carter, I thought you said that you were allright?" Jack asked knowingly.  
  
"I told you that she wasn't," the boy spoke up indignantly.  
  
"It's just a few bruised ribs or some such sir, and I think that Doctor Warner is just being cautious," she tried to reassure him.  
  
"Mmmmhhmmmm…," Jack replied and she winced at his tone.  
  
Just then the doctor himself appeared. "So Doc, what's the verdict?" Jack asked.  
  
"Well, the young boy appears to be in good health, just perhaps a little underweight. Colonel Carter, on the other hand," and he saw her wince again, "has 3 broken ribs and possible internal injuries. We are going to run some more tests and keep her under observation for a day or so. The Colonel is also underweight, and weighs about 10 pounds less than she did at her last physical."  
  
"We'd like to keep the boy for at least one night's observations as well… at least until we get the rest of the test results back," the doctor finished.  
  
Jack nodded. He so wanted to talk to her. To find out what had happened. But he had to wait for the test results. To make sure that it was her.  
  
He looked at her and she met his eyes without rancor. She knew. She understood.  
  
"When will the other test results be done Doc?" he asked.  
  
"Just a couple more hours sir," Warner responded.  
  
"Right, then…, get me those results as soon as you have them, Doc."  
  
"Yes, sir," Warner replied.  
  
Jack looked into her eyes again. She showed no apprehension. Just understanding. Her eyes… so… blue… just like… oh, was life complicated…  
  
"Danny and Teal'c are busting a gut to come in, but we thought we'd give you two a little space…," he let her know and she just nodded. She knew that they had to wait for the test results. Everything had to wait.  
  
"Well, I guess I should go and get some paperwork done…," and then his voice trailed off.  
  
"It's allright, sir. Charlie and I will fine," she gave him a small smile.  
  
"I should probably clear my calendar for tomorrow too," he returned her smile, "That's should be one hell of a debriefing Colonel."  
  
"Yes, sir," she acknowledged.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 6_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	7. Confirmation

.  
  
**PART 7: Confirmation**  
  
.  
  
And then the results were in.  
  
She was Colonel Sam Carter.   
All the right DNA.  
Dental records matched.  
Retinal scan and fingerprints matched.  
Even the naquadah and the Go'a'uld protein marker.  
Evidence of her broken leg five years ago… right where it should be.  
All the right scars where the medical records said they should be.  
  
But then there was the disturbing part.  
The boy's DNA matched Jack's just as… a son's would.  
Now they were going to have to go and get a DNA sample from his ex-wife Sara  
And they'd need Charlie's dental records and anything else they could get.  
They'd have to make up some cover story to tell her about why they needed it all.  
  
So, now they'd have to wait a few more days to settle the question of the boy's true identity.  
  
But, in the meantime, they could at least go and talk to Carter.  
  
He collected Daniel and Teal'c from the archeologist's lab on his way to the infirmary.  
  
---------------  
  
O'Neill nodded at the patient SFs on station and then the three men stepped just inside the infirmary doors.  
  
Sam was asleep and the boy was standing by her bedside. "Shhhh," the boy whispered to them with a finger over his lips, "She just fell asleep.  
  
Jack's resolve for maintaining his distance broke a little and he gave the boy a small smile. Turning back to the other two men with him, he spoke in a low voice, "Looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer for that little chat."  
  
The three men found chairs and settled down to wait for their teammate to wake up. The boy studied them for a few minutes and then shrugged and turned back to Carter. What he did next surprised them. The boy crawled up on the edge of her bed and gently pushed against her arm. She mumbled something and he responded quietly with "Move over a little," and she sleepily obliged and the boy curled up next to her. On his side, he faced away from her and one of her arms curled around his waist protectively. The young boy smiled softly and then his eyes drifted shut.  
  
Jack stared at the scene before him.  
Charlie was snuggled up against Sam Carter.  
  
He knew it couldn't be Charlie,  
…but that didn't make the scene any less powerful.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 7_ ====o0o====  
  
.


	8. Explanations

.  
  
**PART 8: Explanations**  
  
.  
  
Two days later and Jack was in his office.  
He had all of the test results.  
He had Carter's report (the unofficial one, not the typed formal one).  
He'd heard her story.  
  
And he wasn't sure what to do.  
  
Because it was Charlie.  
The boy's DNA matched both Jack and Sara.  
The dental and other records agreed.  
  
And Carter said it was Charlie.  
Not a copy.  
Not a clone.  
Not an alternate universe Charlie.  
  
No, Carter said this was -_his_- Charlie.  
  
And, she'd explained why she'd been gone.  
  
She'd gone to get Charlie.  
  
His eyes glazed over on the details that Carter had explained. There was time travel... with some alien machine found by the Asgard… who'd asked Carter to give them a hand figuring it out. Apparently they had. Figured it out. And Carter had proposed this… idea… to the Asgard… and they'd gone along with it.   
  
Carter had been sent back to the time of Charlie's death. He'd died, they couldn't change that because they couldn't mess with the timeline. So… Carter had… Carter had… taken his son's -_body_-… which meant that… that… his grave was actually empty. All those years that Jack had gone to visit his son's grave… and his son wasn't there. He was crying over an empty grave.  
  
Jack hadn't paid much attention to how Carter had managed it all. There'd been mention of several pieces of Asgard technology that she'd had with her. And, somehow, she'd retrieved his body and brought it back with her.  
  
But that's where things apparently went wrong. The alien time travel device shorted or malfunctioned and they'd ended up fifty-three plus years into the future. Back on the original Asgard planet that they'd started from. But fifty-two years from now.  
  
The 'future' Asgards dealt with it with their usual aplomb. They revived Charlie with an Asgard-modified sarcophagus. Apparently that had been the original plan anyhow.   
  
Charlie met Thor.  
… and it did take them some explaining…  
… as far as Charlie was concerned, Carter had basically kidnapped him.  
But the Asgard were able to help with images and records from their files on Jack O'Neill. And they had extensive files.  
  
Charlie now knows that he died… and that he's traveled to his future.  
They had explained it all to him.  
Carter said that he needed to know.  
He'd shot himself and he needed to understand.   
He needed to understand the ramifications and the cost.  
  
His son had had to face harsh truths that no 8-year old should ever have to face.  
  
But that was better than being dead.  
And much better than staying dead.  
  
Carter had prepared him for the fact that his parents were divorced.  
That his parents would look older.  
And that his parents would have a hard time adjusting to his return.  
  
She had explained the Stargates to him of course.  
She had explained wormholes and space travel.  
She had explained the SGC and what his Dad did there.  
  
….  
  
They had worked on the alien time travel device and set it to send Carter and Charlie back to their own time. It apparently used some kind of hybrid between spatial wormhole physics and temporal mechanics. When used right, you should be able to travel across both time and space- as Carter had done when she'd initially gone from the Asgard world back in time to Earth.  
  
But something had gone wrong on the return trip. A malfunction. Or something. They didn't know what. When all was said and done, portions of the machine were burnt out from their 'return' attempt. They replaced the fused and damaged parts. Tested the machine with small trips.  
  
And it appeared to be fixed.  
  
So they set it for a week or so after Carter's original departure but did not try to travel across space. They decided to just go straight back in time and then they could gate home from there.  
  
Thor had sent them off but they hadn't arrived on the Asgard planet.  
  
As near as Carter could determine they'd arrived approximately 6-7 months after her original departure.  
  
That in and of itself wouldn't have been too bad.   
  
No, the bad part was that they had not landed on the Asgard planet. They'd ended up somewhere else. On a planet that had ruins similar to the ones where they'd found the alien time machine.   
  
There were ruins. And a Stargate. Only… it didn't work.  
  
There had been some native people there. Cautious, but not hostile.  
  
Technologically equivalent to Earth 40 years ago or so according to Carter. They apparently hadn't invented computers yet. And they hadn't figured out how to work the Stargate.  
  
Carter spent almost a year helping them build technology and repair the Stargate. They had a DHD, but it was damaged and several crucial crystals were missing. Carter helped them jury-rig control panels and replacement parts. In some cases, she had to help them build the very tools that they needed to make the necessary doohickeys.  
  
When they finally got it the 'Gate to work, she had chosen Edora because she knew that her old SG-1 code would have been locked out long ago. She knew people on Edora and she could use their GDO to 'Gate back to Earth.  
  
And it -_had_- worked. However, the connection faltered as they were in transit and they were spit out of the 'Gate at high speed and had a rough landing. Carter had taken the brunt of it and that's where she'd broken her ribs. She wasn't sure, but she figured that their jury-rigged departure 'Gate had experienced a power surge somewhere in their cobbled-together assemblage.  
  
When all the dust settled here at home, Carter wanted to try locking onto the 'Gate on the planet where they'd spent the past year. She said that the people there were eager to establish relations with Earth.  
  
And, then they'd gated home.  
To Earth. To the SGC.  
Here.  
Home.  
  
They'd had almost a year for her to get Charlie prepared.  
She'd re-explained it all over and over.  
She'd told him stories of her father and edited exploits of SG-1.  
She'd made him memorize the address for Earth just in case something happened to her.  
  
She'd drawn him sketches of the gateroom so that he'd know what to expect.  
She'd explained to him what happens when people arrive in the SGC gateroom.  
She'd explained the soldier and the guns and the control room.  
  
---------------  
  
She'd apologized for taking so long getting back. They had thought she'd be back after just a week or so. 'They' being Carter and the Asgard. Who'd spawned this crazy plan… and then gone ahead and done it.  
  
Jack had always thought that the Asgard were more careful than this… more cautious… Of course, Carter was the one who'd gone. And, she'd apparently had authorization from somewhere higher-up the chain of command here on Earth. She wasn't specific. And no one had told him anything after it had all gone haywire. They'd just let him believe that she was MIA… or dead.  
  
Of course, he knew that it would have been hard to come to him and get him to accept that his 2IC had disappeared on a mission to bring his dead son back to life. She said that the authorization came because the 'higher-ups' believed that the Asgard could do anything… and that they were probably hoping that she'd be able to build time travel machines for them after it was all over. They were going to be very disappointed…  
  
He ran it round and round.  
A part of him couldn't believe that Carter would do such a thing.  
Time travel and bring back his son and revive him with a sarcophagus.  
  
When they'd been dumped back in 1969, she had been so clear about how they could not change the timeline. How they couldn't mess with things. And he'd sooooo wanted to. Just to say a few things to Michael and Jenny, for example.  
  
When he'd questioned Carter about her more recent actions, she'd smiled and explained that she hadn't changed the past. Charlie had still died. And everyone had experienced all of the effects of that. She was only affecting their future. And she believed in free-will and did not believe in pre-destiny. They did have the power – and the right - to affect their future.   
  
She'd looked at him and he could see the apology in her eyes. She couldn't change the past. She couldn't prevent Charlie from shooting himself and dying. She couldn't prevent all of the misery and heartache that Jack had gone through in the years since.  
  
All she could do was bring Charlie to him now.  
  
That's all. He couldn't believe that she was apologizing for it. Because that's all she could do. Just bring Charlie to him now.  
  
Charlie was alive.  
  
He still hadn't fully accepted it.  
He was waiting for the Joker to pop-up and say 'April Fools.'  
  
Carter was back.  
And that was almost overshadowed by Charlie's presence.  
And she didn't appear to mind.  
Charlie had been her objective after all.  
  
What -_were_- the Asgard thinking?  
  
They'd never explained why they created his daughter for him either.  
  
-_Their_- daughter he corrected himself.  
  
And, just how was he going to bring that up?  
Carter hadn't even adjusted to being back yet.  
  
…  
  
Carter -_and_- Charlie.  
  
His life had suddenly become so much… better...  
And so much more complicated.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 8_ ====o0o====  
  
.


	9. Acceptance

.  
  
**PART 9: Acceptance  
**  
.  
  
Carter and Charlie had spent the first couple of days in the infirmary. Doc Warner had made sure that she didn't have anything worse than a couple of broken ribs and some bruises. He'd also made sure that she'd eaten several square meals and Jack had been amused to watch her do so without protest. When he'd commented on it, she'd simply smiled and said that she'd missed Earth food. They had had plenty to eat on the planet where they'd been stranded, but much of it didn't agree with their Tauri intestinal tracts.  
  
And often of course, she'd become so engrossed in her work on their Stargate that she'd forget to eat. Charlie piped up by pointing out that he often brought her food. Jack was amazed to watch her reaction and interaction with the boy. She'd ruefully chuckled, agreed with him and tousled his hair affectionately. They'd obviously become close.  
  
But now the doc was letting them out of the infirmary and Carter was moving to some VIP quarters (her old base quarters had been reassigned long ago).   
  
He was coming to grips with the fact that they were both here.  
Carter -_and_- Charlie.  
  
It was time to see his son.  
  
Approaching the quarters assigned to Carter, he could see that the door was open. Sticking his head in, he saw Carter sitting up in bed, on top of the covers, and leaning against the wall. Her arms were wrapped around his sleeping son.  
  
She looked like she was ready to drop off too, but she noticed him and waved him in.  
  
"Charlie," she spoke to the boy gently.  
  
"Wha-a..?" he mumbled a response but did not move.  
  
"Charlie, wake up," and she slid him into a sitting-up position while still supporting him.  
  
"What?" he asked more clearly as he awoke and focused on her.  
  
She smiled at him, "Your dad is here to see you," and she tilted her head in Jack's direction.  
  
Charlie turned and looked at him.  
  
Uncertain.  
  
Charlie had been through a lot.   
He'd died.   
Been brought back.   
Visited the Asgard in the future.  
Spent a year on an alien planet.  
Traveled through time and the Stargate.  
  
And he was holding onto Carter like a lifeline.  
  
Tears welled in Jack's eyes.  
  
His son was alive.  
  
His son was right here in front of him.  
  
And his son looked kind of scared of him.  
  
The last thing that Jack had done was to get cross with him before Charlie had died. That was the last real memory that his son had of him as his Dad.  
  
Now Jack was older… and he knew that it showed. If nothing else, his hair was grey when it had been all dark brown before Charlie died.  
  
Jack stumbled over and sat in the chair next to the bed. "Charlie…," and it came out a bit choked.  
  
The boy looked at Carter and she nodded and gave him a gentle push towards his father. He slid off the bed and stood before Jack looking scared.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
And that's all it took. Jack grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug. He couldn't stop the tears. The last time he'd truly cried had been at Charlie's grave… long after the service… and long after everyone else had departed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm really, really sorry," and the boy was crying into his father's chest.  
  
Neither Jack nor Charlie noticed Carter silently slip out.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 9_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	10. Reacquaintance

.  
  
**PART 10: Reacquaintance**  
  
.  
  
Jack spent the next couple of days with Charlie on the base. Cassandra, Daniel and Teal'c took care of his smallest child. He couldn't take Charlie home yet… not before he figured out how to tell Carter about their daughter. Besides, Charlie didn't want to leave Carter and she wasn't cleared to go off-base yet. She'd been gone for such an extended time that she would have to suffer through extensive interviews and debriefings over the coming week. Along with continued medical tests as they thought them up.   
  
She hadn't complained about any of it yet and he figured that she was just -_that_- glad to be home. She hadn't even complained about the upcoming appointments with the Air Force shrink. Of course, both he and Charlie were being scheduled for their own separate appointments as well.  
  
Jack wasn't going to complain either. He had his son back. He could definitely weather some appointments with a shrink. And, as much as he hated them himself, he figured it might be a good thing for Charlie. Jack was amazed at how the boy seemed to be handling everything almost too well… he seemed to be taking everything in stride. But then, Carter had had a year to explain it to him.  
  
So, Jack had spent the past few days getting to know his son all over again. Charlie hadn't moved into Jack's quarters yet, though. He was still more comfortable with Carter and Jack didn't complain.  
  
The one thing that surprised Jack was that Charlie hadn't asked about his mom. When Jack asked the boy about it, Charlie had said that Sam had explained that his parents were divorced and that his mother did not work on the base. Sam had warned him that he would have to be patient and that it might be several weeks or longer before he got to see his mother.  
  
Jack shook his head. Well, she -_had_- had a year to explain it all too him.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 10_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	11. Cassie

.  
  
**PART 11: Cassie**  
  
.  
  
It was reaching the end of the first week after their return and Carter was going to be allowed to go off-base. To go home.  
  
Cassandra had visited every day since being told of Sam's return. Cassie and Charlie had hit it off… Cassie was good with younger kids. Jack had made sure that Cassie knew not to mention anything regarding the baby.  
  
Cassie had also spent a lot of hours cleaning and getting Sam's house back to some of how it looked before Carter had disappeared. As the months had passed, Cassie had taken over more and more of the house with her own stuff… and her own style of… clutter… of which Sam's house had not had much of before.   
  
It had actually taken Cassie more than seven months to get the courage to stay in Sam's house alone. Her mom's (Janet's) house had been sold after her Janet had died and Cassie had moved in with Sam. When Sam went MIA, her possessions went into Jack's custodialship for Cassie.   
  
But she couldn't bear to stay there during the first few months after Sam had disappeared. Cassie was a young adult and was starting college soon, but losing both Janet and Sam had left the young girl scared and vulnerable. So, she'd stayed in one of Jack's spare rooms. And then one day, after more than seven months, she'd come and announced that she was ready to move back. Into Sam's house. Jack stayed over the first few nights so that she wouldn't be too haunted by Sam's absence.   
  
He'd taken care of Sam's house. Jack had simply set things up with some attorneys and told them to take care of everything. Gardeners. A maid that came for 4-hours every two weeks. Money and such things as the house payments had turned out to be no problem… it turned out that Sam had plenty of money stashed away. Some patent on some doohickey or some such as it was explained to Jack.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 11_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	12. What?

.  
  
**PART 12: What?  
**  
.  
  
So… now Carter was getting ready to go home… but Jack needed to have that talk with Carter first. About -_their_- daughter.  
  
So Jack had them bring the little one onto the base.   
He asked Carter to meet him in the infirmary.  
  
"Sir?" she arrived with a smile on her face and Charlie on her heels.  
  
"Hey Charlie, I need to speak to Sam here privately for a few minutes, so how about if you go around there to the back and join Cassie?," and he waved his arm in the direction of the back rooms.  
  
Charlie looked at Carter who just shrugged to let him know that she didn't know what was going on. "OK, Dad," he politely replied and trotted off around the corner.  
  
" 'OK Dad'… sure sounds good…," he muttered and looked up to see her smiling at him. "Have I thanked you Carter, for bringing my son back to me?"  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied and her smile got larger.  
  
"Yeah, well… thanks," he said it again and let her know that he meant it.  
  
"Yes, sir, you're welcome," she sent back.  
  
"I guess I should thank Thor and his buddies too… shouldn't I?" he asked and hoped he could use this as a segue into why he'd brought her here.  
  
"Yes sir, I am sure that Thor would appreciate that," she responded with a grin.  
  
"Mmmm… Thor… and his buddies… they seem to take a bit of an interest in us, don't they?" he asked and tried to keep it casual.  
  
"Especially you, sir," and she was still smiling… so far, so good…  
  
"Not just me, Carter, they've taken quite an interest in you too…," and he waited for her reaction.  
  
"Me, sir?" and she shrugged, "I just helped out a little with the time travel device…"  
  
And he smiled at her modesty, "And… your dumb ideas… and… I think that Thor likes you…," and he waggled his eyebrows at her.  
  
And she looked embarrassed and countered with, "Sir, you are definitely his favorite… you are the one that he beams off the planet when he is in trouble."  
  
"Yeah, does still like to do that," Jack muttered, "But I am working on him about that…"  
  
And he took another look at her and then bit the bullet, "Speaking of Thor beaming me up without warning… the last time that he did it was about seven months ago."  
  
She was simply listening patiently.  
  
"He… uhmm… he asked me if I planned to have more children…," and he saw her brow furrow as she tried to puzzle out Thor's reason for asking about -_more_- children.  
  
And then he told her all of it… as best he could remember… in the order that it happened.  
  
Now she was just staring at him.  
  
Not saying a word.  
  
"Carter? Did you hear what I just said?" he asked.  
  
No answer.  
  
"Carter?"  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 12_ ====o0o====  
  
. 


	13. Our Child

.  
  
**PART 13: Our Child  
**  
.  
  
She opened her mouth and then paused. And just kept looking at him.  
  
"Carter?" he tried a third time.  
  
"Are you saying that Thor created a child for us? -_Our_- child?... Yours and mine?" She sounded a bit shell-shocked.  
  
He shrugged and tried a small grin and then settled for a nod 'yes'.  
  
She echoed his nod and just continued to stare at him.   
  
She actually looked so cute that he wanted to give her a hug just like he'd done on the gateroom ramp a week ago.  
  
A few moments of silence and he waited… but she wasn't saying anything. She was looking off into space and seemed to be having some kind of internal discussion. Probably about the reality of this situation, he realized.  
  
"Um… hang on a sec," and he jumped up and hurried around the back where Charlie had gone. When he came back a few minutes later he had their daughter in his arms. He had asked the others to wait a bit longer to give Sam some space to meet her daughter.  
  
He walked over slowly and she didn't take her eyes off the infant.  
  
Stopping just in front of her, he passed the little girl into Sam's arms and then stepped back.   
  
Sam didn't say a word, she just kept staring at the child. Then she slowly moved a hand up and ran her fingers gently across the girl's cheek. A waving hand quickly grabbed one of Sam's fingers and held on tight. Jack looked back up to her face and saw silent tears running down her cheeks.   
  
He guided her over to a chair and then let her spend the next half-hour just holding her daughter. She didn't say a word, so he just let her have her space. He'd had seven months to get used to it, she'd had just a few minutes.  
  
Finally, however, Cassandra and Daniel peeked around the corner. Catching Jack's eyes, they raised their eyebrows to silently ask if they could come in. Jack signaled for them to wait a second.  
  
"Sam…?" and she looked up. Neither of them had spoken in a half-hour… and he had just used her first name. He had her attention.  
  
"Do you think you are ready for some company? There are some folks who'd like to come in," and he tilted his head towards the end of the room where their friends were peeking around the corner.  
  
She looked over in surprise and then looked back down at the child in her arms. "Uh… sure...," but she sounded anything but sure.   
  
He gave her an encouraging look and then waved for the others to come the rest of the way in and join them.  
  
"Sam, she's beautiful," Cassie spoke up right away.  
  
Sam looked startled and then managed, "Thanks…," and a small smile.  
  
"Sam, we've all been taking care of her over the past seven months. She is a wonderful child," Daniel added.  
  
"Indeed, Samantha, your daughter is extremely bright and well-behaved for her age," Teal'c provided.  
  
And at that, Sam realized looked down at the baby again and then back at Jack, "How old is she?"  
  
"Roughly ten months, although she's only been with us for seven. Speaking of which, we are going to have to choose a birthday for her – Thor wasn't that specific when he gave her to me," Jack finished.  
  
"Ten months…," and Sam's voice trailed off and then she looked back up at Jack. "What's… what's her name?"  
  
.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== _End Part 13_====o0o====  
  
. 


	14. It Could Have Been Worse

.  
  
**PART 14: It Could Have Been Worse**  
  
.  
  
"You didn't tell her?" Cassie almost shouted and Daniel's eyes widened as Jack winced. Cassie turned to Daniel and muttered, "Run away or stay and watch?" She hadn't meant for Sam to hear it, but she did… and Sam's look of puzzlement was quickly turning to one of apprehension.  
  
"I believe that we should stay," Teal'c replied, "O'Neill may need medical aid."  
  
And now Carter's apprehension was turning into a look of resignation. "Jack, what did you name our child?" and her tone of voice said that she was prepared to find out that he'd named her something like Bart or Homer. He did like her choice of words, though… 'Jack'… and 'our child'…  
  
"Jack?" she was prompting again and the others were just watching… although Daniel looked fairly smug and Jack could read the 'I told you so' in his body language.  
  
"I…errr… I named her after… you…," he admitted and then held his breath.   
  
"You called her Carter??!! What kind of first name is that?" she blurted out in horror.  
  
"No… I named her Samantha… or Sam… and, well, I usually call her Sammy…," and then he waited for the sky to fall on him.  
  
But she just stared at him.   
  
"You know… I thought you were dead and all…," he offered and waited.  
  
And then, "Well, it's better than calling her Carter," and she shrugged and looked back down at her daughter.  
  
And he looked at her in surprise, "So that's it? You're OK with it?"  
  
"Not really, but I'll get over it… Sam is better than some of the alternatives that were running across my mind a few minutes ago when those three (and she waved at Cassie, Daniel and Teal'c) reacted the way that they did."  
  
Jack grinned at her, "Were you afraid that I named her Homer or something?"  
  
"Something like that," she admitted, although variations of Thor had scurried across her horrified mind… as well as the memory of Jack O'Neill recommending that they name the Prometheus after 'Enterprise.' She didn't know much Star Trek, but she had been immediately worried that her daughter had been named after a character in a Sci Fi show or a cartoon.  
  
"Huh!" Jack took stock and realized that he hadn't actually been reamed. A little swagger went back into his demeanor and he shot a look over at Daniel and then raised his chin to convey 'challenge met – and won.'  
  
Daniel just shook his head in disbelief.  
  
.  
  
====o0o==== End Part 14 ====o0o====  
  
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	15. Redefining Home

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**PART 15: Redefining Home**  
  
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The seven of them (Jack, Sam, their daughter, Daniel, Teal'c, Cassie and Charlie) sat around and chatted loosely about the baby for awhile. Well, four of them chatted. Sam, Charlie and the baby were fairly quiet.  
  
Finally, Jack realized that he needed to tackle the final hurdle of the day. "How about if you all get a snack or something in the commissary and give Sam and I a few more minutes alone here?" And they'd all trooped amicably out of the room to leave the three of them alone again.  
  
Silence fell around them again. Little Sam had been amazingly quiet and content in her mother's arms. Jack prayed that she'd stay quiet just a little bit longer.  
  
"So… how're you doing with all this?" Jack asked softly.  
  
She looked up at him again and just shrugged, "Stunned… I … just… stunned…"  
  
"Yeah, I remember my reaction when Thor dropped this all on me in the infirmary of his ship," Jack smiled empathetically at her.  
  
He took a deep breath and shored up his courage, "Sam…?" and she was listening, "Sam… -_we_- have a child…," and he paused.  
  
"Yeah, I think I'm slowly getting that," she reassured him – and then she giggled and he looked at her in surprise. "We haven't even had a first date and we've gone past home plate and brought home the trophy," and he decided that her humor must be a good sign.  
  
"So… how about if you come and stay at my place?" he put it out there and she looked startled. She hadn't thought beyond these past few hours. "I've got plenty of spare rooms – and it will be just for awhile – until we figure things out," he amended. "I think it would make it a lot easier on Charlie too," he added, and he could tell that that clinched it.  
  
"Ok," she nodded and he almost collapsed from relief. The last few hours had gone much smoother than he'd anticipated.  
  
"Is there room for Cassie, too?" she asked.  
  
"We'll work it out, no problems," he assured her. And they already had. They'd planned it all out. Charlie would bunk with Jack for awhile. The baby would still have her nursery. And Sam and Cassie would each get the one of the other two bedrooms. If either Daniel or Teal'c wanted to stay over, he had two large couches.  
  
He let a few more moments of silence pass and then, "Are you ready to go home?"  
  
She met his gaze steadily and then gave him a nod and a small smile.  
  
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====o0o==== The End... ====o0o====  
  
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A/N: And where does it go from there? There is still Charlie and Jack's ex-wife relationship to deal with… and Sam and Jack still need a first date of some sort. I don't know where things should go from here, although in my world they take it slow and love each other deeply for the rest of their lives. I go for that 'Happily Ever After' stuff.

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Again, all of my thanks to all of the other Stargate fanfic writers out there.   
  
I hope that you enjoyed my story.  
  
Thanks again to Heliopolis, Gateworld.net, Fanfiction.net, The Stargate Novel Archive and all other Stargate SG1 fanfiction websites. 


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